Ooof. Y’all.
Look… I’m a reasonable person. I recognize that now, in my early 40s, I should be much more amenable to small changes in my everyday routine. I should have learned to roll with the punches by now, right? Small things are just small things, right? I have a CHILD, so shouldn’t I be able to adapt and overcome??
RIGHT??
Kotex discontinued my favorite tampons. Turns out, as you’ll see in that link, I’m not the only one losing my mind. They’re not “out of stock”. Not “supply chain issues”. They’re not stuck in a shipping container beached in the Suez Canal. When I tell you this has shaken me, I’m dead serious. I stood steamy-eyed in the tampon aisle at Walgreens last week, unable to make a decision. Every other tampon leaks. EVERY OTHER ONE. I bought three
small boxes of different makes and models, and YEP… LEAKAGE. This is not like the mind-blowing decision that Bath & Body Works made by discontinuing Country Apple back in the day. (Why did we like this one, again?) All I want is to be able to go to work and do my life without worrying about my tampon. Kotex gave me that. This is about security. This is about comfort. This is a serious offense, ladies. I. Am. Disgruntled.
Right about now, I’m sure you’re finding yourself in one of four categories of women reading this:
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- “Just find another brand and adapt. You’ll be fine. This isn’t a big deal.”
- “Just wear a pad with it.”
- “Try a menstrual cup!
- “Oh, HELL NO.”
Ladies of Group Three… and I say this with all due respect… HELL NO.
I’ve read every box in the Target aisle on these monstrosities. I’ve considered it. I’ve googled it. I’ve met people who swear by them. But it’s a no from me, dawg.
I know we’ve all been through hell the last two years with parenting and homeschooling and masking and trying to hide our allergies because people look at you crazy in Crest if you sneeze. But now we’ve got people touting the idea of putting a special blood-collecting cup up your glory hole to gather a whole day’s worth of clots, and then empty, rinse, and repeat? Who came up with this? How do you do that in the ladies’ room at On Cue? Do I wait until the bathroom is empty, waddle to the sink, rinse my bloody cup off, and waddle back to the stall? I CANNOT, y’all. Maybe if I stayed home all day, this would work, but for a human blessed with lady bits out in the world all day, NO. Some of y’all have never been heavy bleeders, and it shows.
If given the choice to save the planet with menstrual cups or paper straws, I will suffer through paper straws for the rest of forever. I’ll complain, but I’ll do it.
Ladies, at 42, I can change a tire. I can come up with a dinner recipe at a moment’s notice with minimal ingredient availability in the fridge. I can do a lot of things, but not this. Give me back the good tampons, Kotex. I’m not prepared for these kinds of curveballs.
I could not agree more I’ve been so sad trying to find another tampon that work for me, they want 200 bucks for 11 boxes of kotex on ebay That’s jus down right insane I want my tampons back already kotex compact does not to the job. Does anyone know of a dupe for them.
I just left this little ditty on their facebook page and got the standard response…
I went to the store – to stock up on some more – of the only tampon I trust. Instead in their place – was this tweeny disgrace – a bait and switch, so unjust. I wanted to cry – but decided to try – “It’s still Kotex, I suppose?” The click was so weak – it slipped and it leaked – now I’m always washing my clothes. Kotex are you there? – do you even care? – this has got to be a bad dream. Please stop this failed trial – bring back the old style – and fire your marketing team.
Glad that I googled and found this article. Now I know why these companies think I am 16 again and can go all day with those teeny tiny things up there. I thought it was just me that had to change out 10x a day! Its not me, its you. Bring them back now! A menstrual cup??? I agree, OH HELL NO!
I have sent Kotex so many messages! I have been using these tampons since I was a teen. I’m devastated about this. They were the easiest ones to put in and get out. I loved how the handle was the same size as the applicator. There was a little knot tied at the end so my fingernails could grasp it and pull it out. They hardly ever leaked. They were comfortable and reliable. They never came apart inside me.
I have been trying all kinds of tampons. Nothing works like my security tampons. I saw an article that said they were discontinued because they were coming apart inside women. I have never had that happen until having to try other brands. It is frustrating! I miss my Kotex security tampons! Maybe it’ll be like a soap opera and they will come back from the dead. Keeping my fingers crossed and praying!
My life has seriously changed since they discontinued these. I like all of you have used them all my life and at 48, I am seriously upset, angry, sad and downright disgusted. This is a serious issue, and really should be looked at as a medical necessity. I too can not live life, work, etc. normal anymore during that time in the month. It’s really been life changing!
I am so upset that they took the kotex tampons. I have been using them since I was 10 yes old. I have tried every single other brand and nothing is comparable. Why would u take something that actually worked for so many women??!! Why?? They were the best full sz easy in and easy out applicators. Being 38 I am so lost and pray they come back. Please kotex please
I’m so happy to know that I’m not alone in this. I recently used my last super plus security tampon and had my first couple of periods trying to figure this tampon thing out. I feel like my 13 year old self trying to insert tampons for the first time. I can’t believe how I took for granted a wide applicator. It was nothing to run in the bathroom change my tampon with ease. Now, I have to use two hand and figure out whether to stand, stoop, sit or bend. Trying to push on that tiny, thin applicator is so Frustrating. I will never understand why Kotex didn’t just fix what was wrong with the security tampon,, instead of leaving such a void in the market.
In the same boat as many women here. Used them since I was a teenager, and NO other brand or style are comfortable. Honestly they are UNcomfortable and wasteful. If messages/feedback have already been sent to Kotex, how can we band together to make an impact?? Let me know, I’m in!! And if anyone has found a decent replacement for the regular Security tampons, pleeeeasee let me know. Click, playtex clean + sport , tampax pearl, CVS comparable kotex security are just a few 7/8 full boxes in my closet that are NOT comparable 😖👎🏼
I hate when people, especially other women look at me like I’m crazy when I start getting heated about this topic. Like I’m just some entitled woman complaining about something as trivial as tampons, but not having access to an effective period product has greatly impacted my life in the most negative way. Like every other woman who has been struggling thru this every month for what, 2 or 3 years now, I’ve tried EVERYTHING and nothing else is remotely similar. I’m considering just getting a hysterectomy at this point. Because now I’m not confident going out in public for long periods of time during that month bc I now whatever I’m using is going to fail me. What I REALLY wish, is that Kotex would at least be honest with their loyal customers who had relied on this 1 line every month for over 25 years, please, just tell us why you decided to discontinue your best selling and most effective product? The Kotex Security pad line is still available, so why just the Security tampons? I know they’ve claimed the Click is just as effective, but as we all know, that’s a bold face lie. If it was bc of the class action lawsuit, just freaking say so, instead it looks like you know how many women are struggling every month and just refusing to bring them back, hoping that we’ll just accept not having access to effective period products.
I finally researched and found out why the ONLY tampons that EVER worked without leaking were discontinued! I have seriously done trials with all the brands from CVS and Target and ALL LEAK! Not saying anything about my girly parts but have the tampons also shrunk in size?? I have had to wear a liner in addition to a tampon. Has anyone found a close second? Has anyone tried the organic lines or the subscription brands? Please share…
I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s used the Kotex super plus tampons and am completely lost without them 😂 I’ve never been more self conscious of my situation downstairs than I am now. All of the ultra super dooper leak proof tampons leak! All of them! I’m having to change them once an hour the first two days and it’s madness. Not to mention the stick they call an applicator leaves me wondering if I’ve always felt so wide set downstairs 😂 I feel like I’m in meangirls… I have a heavy flow and a wide set vagina 😂 I need my kotex back! My saint of a mother had a box of mine at her house from a long time ago that she brought me recently and I couldn’t have asked for a better gift 😂